Politics & Government

State Sen. Dinniman Wants Smokeless Tobacco Tax

Dinniman has proposed a tax rate of 59.2 percent, the same as cigarettes.

Pennsylvania is currently the only state in the union that doesn’t tax smokeless tobacco. State Sen. Andy Dinniman (D-19) wants that to change.

Dinniman will propose a bill that would tax chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco, and snuff at 59.2 percent of the wholesale price, according to The Mercury. This is the same rate at which the state taxes cigarettes.

The lawmaker says the tax could help combat the popularity of smokeless tobacco among Pennsylvania's young people. According to a recent survey, 24 percent of high school seniors in the state have tried smokeless tobacco. This is 7 percent higher than the national average. 

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